In 2000, MIT convened the Green Building Task Force (GBTF). The GBTF was co-sponsored by the Managing Director of Environmental Programs and Risk Management/Senior Counsel and the Chief Facilities Officer. The Task Force's steering committee included professors Leon Glicksman and Les Norford, as well as the Director of Capital Projects. Other members were drawn from Facilities and the EHS Office.

The Task Force identified long-term goals for campus environmental sustainability and helped to oversee the development of "green" performance specifications through the Department of Facilities' Building Systems Design Handbook. This Handbook codifies design guidelines intended to achieve MIT's long-term green building goals. The Department of Facilities' Capital Projects group and the Design Construction Services (DCS) group both require MIT's designers and engineers to adhere to the policies contained in the current version of the Handbook.

A principal accomplishment of the GBTF was the adoption of a comprehensive statement of the Institute's ongoing and long-range environmental goals to be achieved through a broad participation of the faculty, students, and staff [full text – pdf]. In addition to identifying ten Environmental Priorities, the Task Force proposed that MIT adopt a proactive stance regarding ongoing construction on the campus.

In response, MIT determined that all new projects (including both major renovations and new construction) would be designed to meet or exceed the "LEED Silver Plus" standard. “LEED” refers to the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™. "Silver Plus" refers to LEED’s Silver level enhanced by customized requirements to reflect MIT-specific standards that are necessary to support progress toward MIT's environmental goals.

MIT’s adoption of the LEED Silver Plus is an interim standard, which may be further modified as necessary to meet MIT's long-term goals. Specifically, MIT hopes to develop a performance-based standard that can be tailored to individual projects.

MIT is currently considering certification under LEED for four new campus construction projects:

• Stata Center
• Simmons Hall
• Brain & Cognitive Sciences
• Sidney-Pacific

More information:
US Green Building Council
LEED Green Building Rating System
MIT’s Construction Program
MIT Stata Center web site
Sidney – Pacific Dormitory web site